HeppSY+ Supports National Week of Action to Inspire Young People
Young people at schools and colleges were the focus of a national campaign last week to increase the number of South Yorkshire teenagers going on to higher education.
Staff at the Higher Education Progression Partnership South Yorkshire Plus (HeppSY+) ran a series of events last week to help local young people understand their higher education options as part of a nationwide week of action.
In Sheffield City Region, young people are less likely to go into higher education than in other areas of the country. HeppSY+ works across the region as part of the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP), funded by the Office for Students (OfS), to change this.
HeppSY+ is running an ongoing campaign to double the number of young people going on to degree level courses and apprenticeships at further education colleges and universities in 45 target electoral wards in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield, North East Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire.
The programme is impartial and delivered in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield and local further education colleges and schools and creates tailored activities and events that provide inspiration, increase aspiration and support young people to plan their future education.
The NCOP Week of Action ran from June 4th to 8th. The week’s events included a range of activities, workshops and talks at schools and colleges around the region. Chris Millward, Director for Fair Access and Participation at the Office for Students, will also be meeting HeppSY+ staff.
Organisations taking part include Barnsley College, Doncaster College, Longley Park College, Thomas Rotherham College, The Sheffield College and RNN Group, as well as 36 schools and academies across South Yorkshire.
Mike Garnock-Jones, Director, Higher Education Progression Partnership, said: “Our Week of Action has been a fantastic opportunity to highlight the range of aspiration raising activities delivered in local schools, academies and colleges. This support can really make a difference to a young person’s future.”
NCOP has been running since 2017. The Office for Students is the new regulator for higher education in England. They aim to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers. For more information, visit heppsy.org. Follow @HeppSYplus.
